British better trained, says France's forces chief

THE French armed forces received a stinging blow to their pride when their French chief of staff said British troops were better trained in every service.

Gen Jean-Pierre Kelche told the parliamentary defence committee that budgetary restraints meant the French army, navy and air force had significantly less training each year than their British counterparts. He said: "The conditions for training are more favourable in Britain than in France," while pleading for the purse strings to be relaxed.

French ground troops spent only 80 days a year on manoeuvres, compared with 100-150 for British troops. According to Gen Kelche, Royal Navy ships are at sea for 150 days a year, more than double the French navy, while France's combat pilots scrape by with 180 hours' flying time a year, the minimum required by Nato.

The comments highlight the training incompatibilities that will have to be overcome to implement plans for a European Union rapid reaction force of 60,000 by 2003.